The topic of whether or not video games are good for you has always been in murky waters. Are they really good or bad for your health? They are both good and bad actually, as it depends on what situation you are in. Just to throw in some examples, too much may lead to addiction, and also bad grades, if you are playing hours on end right before a final exam. However, playing games can improve problem solving, multitasking, hand-eye coordination, etc. Of course, that’s why moderation is vital here to prevent negative effects from taking over the positive ones. Alcohol is a great example of why moderation is good and this concept can also be applied to video games.
However, despite knowing the obvious negative effects of video gaming are, what are the positive effects of playing them in moderation? As a person playing video games since age 5, I have always wondered what life perks I have gotten from playing games. In Dr. Bavelier’s TED Talk, she focuses on some of the misconceptions of the gaming and the benefits of what ‘training’ in gaming can do for one person.
Here are some of the main ideas of her talk:
- Gaming does not have a detrimental effect on your vision, but it actually improves your eyesight.
Some parents may believe staring at a TV or computer screen for long periods of time is the cause of their children having nearsightedness, but this is false. Gaming helps you distinguish small details in clutter and different shades of grey. For example, being able to read small print and driving in the fog easily are examples of how your vision is better.
- Gaming improves your ability to pay attention.
By comparing gamers and people who don’t play video games, and using brain imaging, Dr. Bavelier’s study shows that areas of the brain which control your ability to pay attention are much more efficient in gamers than those who are not.
- Gaming improves your multitasking skills.
Gamers are able to deal with many tasks and filter out unnecessary information to perform their tasks well. This idea is completely different than multi-media tasking, where you listen to music, text a friend, check your e-mail at the same time. Multi-media taskers are actually worse when tested for multitasking than with gamers.
These are not the only positive effects of gaming but it should shed some light that gaming is not totally bad. The skills developed from gaming even made a boy save his sister from a moose (if the story is true)! If you’re a gamer, you will enjoy this multitasking game and should try to compete with your friends. If you’re not a gamer, compare your score with a gamer. Start casually gaming and you may start developing skills you never had before!
Derrick Lee
